Ventilated cape



Nov. 9, 1943. B. BERKMAN 2,334,051

VENTILATED CAPE Filed May 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l fidezoi'oz: 8 @0216 erkm o Nov. 9, 1943. BERKMAN 2,334,061

VENTILATED CAPE I Filed May 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 9, 1943*. B. BERKMAN 2,334,061

VENTILATED CAPE Filed May '13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 9, 1943.

B. BERKMAN VENTILA'IED CAPE Filed May 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ill Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENTILATED CAPE BorisBerkman, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,727

7 Claims.

My invention relates to ventilated capes, which may be worn over the outer garments for protection from the rain or as beach wear over bathing apparel as a protection against excessive exposure to the sun. My garment is especially suitable for womens and misses wear.

It has long been an undesirable characteristic of rainproof garments, as well as of other protective garments such as beach coats, that because of their impervious nature, these garments caused excessive perspiration from lack of sufficient ventilation therebeneath. These prior garments tended closely to drape themselves about the wearer so that she became uncomfortably warm even during mild weather. Because of the non-porous nature of the materials employed in the manufacture of rain protective garments, perspiration and moisture tended to accumulate in the garments worn therebeneath, with very objectionable results.

Protective garments which have hitherto been available haveoften been rather unattractive, bulky, and inconvenient to dispose of while not in use.

The chief object of my invention is to provide a ventilated protective garment so disposed upon the shoulders of the wearer that the garment is displaced from the body of the wearer by some considerable distance at all points, thereby permitting adequate ventilation and preventing the formation of excessive heat under the garment due to the impact of the rays of the sun thereupon.

Another object'of my invention is to provide a ventilated garment which may readily and compactly be folded into a relatively small space when not in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a garment suspended from a wire framework carried upon the shoulders and extending beyond the contours thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a garment consisting of a combined hood and cape which may be compactly folded into a small bundle carried in a special receptacle provided thereby.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of the hood and shoulder construction of my garment;

Fig, 5 is an enlarged rear elevation of the hood and shoulder construction of my garment with portions thereof partly in section; I

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the lines of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a front perspective ofthe wire shoulder piece of my garment;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the shoulder piece of my garment when folded;

Fig. 9 is a front perspective of a modified shoulder piece, illustrated in its partially folded position by means of phantom; Y

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of one form of the 'rear hinge of my shoulder piece;

Fig. 11 is a view of a modified garment according to my invention, provided with sleeves instead of arm hole slits;

Fig. 12 is a perspective of a purse or bag useful for carrying my garment when properly folded;

Fig. 13 is a side view of a modified hinge construction applicable to my invention;

Fig. 14 is a section taken along the lines I l-ll of Fig. 13;

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are sections through the preferred form of hinge in closed, open and partially closed positions respectively, I

Fig. 18 is a section of the hinge on' the line l8-l8 of Fig. 17.

In order to attain my chief object of providing a protective cape or garment which is adequately ventilated and which does not permit the accumulation of excessive humidity and heat therebeneath, I suspend each garment from'a' wire yoke I!) (Fig. 7), conforming generally to the shape of the wearers shoulders and composed of two loops Illa and lb each two ends ofwhich terminate in a hinge member l2a or l2b respectively.

In orderto avoid chafing by the metal yoke in, I prefer spirally to wrap the same with strips of cloth tape M (Fig. 6), which also serve as the base to which may be sewn the material of the cape and hood.

The hinge members I'Za and l2b are pivotallyjoined by a hollow rivet l6 and resiliently tensioned by means of a 0 spring wire I! (Figs. 15 to 18) or an elastic band I 8 (Fig. 10) which holds the hinge members in their opened or their folded position depending upon whether the tension of the spring I! or rubber band I8 is over or under the center of the rivet I6.

The hinge of Figs. 15 to 18 has fins 19 extending between the two opposing walls of each half l2a and I2b, one wall of each half being cut away at 20 to receive the fins I9 when the hinge is closed. The washer 2| separates the halves and adds rigidity to the structure. The 6 spring I! is preferably of such size that its inner edge will not protrude beyond the margins of the walls of the' halves In and no as the hinge is opened or closed. Instead of the toggle movement described, I may use other forms of self-locking hinges utilizing various mechanical snap action arrangements. i For example, the tense may comsist of two hingemembers 25d ari'd25b, (Figs; 13 and 14), the first of which terminates in a relatively heavy flat centrally apertured disc 23a, and the second of which terminates in a'similar .apertured disc 26b, fastened together by means of a hollow rivet 21. The discs 26b are V with outwardly'projecting niches 28 interlocking tral portions of the shoulder loops 10a. and; 10b

as well as at the neckibyrneans of twopairs of hinges l2 dividing each loop I00. and 10b into inner and outer halves (Fig. 9). One may with equal facility place thehinges .at other points .along the loops Na and Nb, e."g., to divide them into front and rear halves, However, Ihave found that the arrangement depicted (Fig. '9) is superior to most others because of the eas e with which it may be collapsed andbecause or, the small volumeoccupied by it.

The wire yoke I is covered witha cloth yokie 22 whose edges are secured to the tape M by means "of stitching 23. The cloth yoke; 22 rests upon the shoulders of the wearer-and is the ,oplywportion of the protective cape in close contactwith the body of the wearer, the depending-portion of the cape being spaced a substantial distance from the body of the wearer. l

I prefer to provide my garments with a hood 30, which is useful as a protection against the, rain, or alternately, when appliedto beach capes, I

as protection from prolonged exposureto the sun. HThelower edge 3| of the hood 30 is sewn-against the-inner edge of the collar portion of the-wire yoke l0 .(Fig. 4),. The fronted ge of 30 is 'turnedoverto formv a brim 33 of variable fwidth provided with two grommets or eyelets 1,-3 gthrough whichare threaded the ends of; two fldraw strings 36 sewed to the hood 30-.attheir origin 31. The ends of the draw strings- 316 pass underneath the folded brim 33 and may. betied ,in a bow knot 38 ,(Figsrl', 2 and ll). Itisto be noted that the widthof the brim as is ad g'ulstable so that a greater or less degree of protection against the elements is obtainable by varying the width. of the brim 33 and adjusting thedraw 5 7 8 1 7 V .1 J The cape 4 0 is suspended from-thewire yoke i0 its upper edgewhichis attached to thespiral protective wrappings H by meansof stit ;.mng @l i The cape may be of any desirable .(Eig. 6).

fashionable and, attractive design, with or without sleeves (Figs. 1-1 andl), The s 1eeveless cape ,illustrated (Pier 1) consists, of a back panel ll 5 rm n ,"wnaner it be aim .:*aaa

advantageously be pleated at the shoulders, and

two frong wing-panels 43a and 43b. The seams 45a and 45b between the side and wing panels are interrupted by two arms slits 48a and 48b 5 normally covered by flaps 41a and "b. The edges of the frong wing panels 43a and 43b each hear one half of a zipper closure strip" which serves as a secure waterproof closure. If sleeves are preferred to arm slits it is possible to insert Itonsider'the success of my inventlon to be the result of the air space between the body- -'-""of the wearer and the suspended cape. It is well knownthat confining garments tend to induce overheating andqperspiration to a much greater exten -man loosefltting garments. This is'true' partlybecause conflninsfgarments restrict free- I domo'f motion, but chiefly because free circulav m of air underneath the garment is prevented,

resultingtin accumulation of moisture Irornmerfspirationf l=.'er'spiration cannot be miss-c: it is a naturai runetion or thehunfan organism: designed: toprotect it agai st interna jfineraturejnuctuations; J For-hygienic and s stneureasons,;how-

ever, it is essential perspirat o be dissipated as rapidly and as' ($9fi1plt Yfl-$"fi0SsibT'lf flfls can 'beiaccoinplished by adequately ventilatingthwearers garments, I have money s i i slpr t armen u as ral coat or beach coatffromlthe bodya'tsbniedistance. say an inch or two. adequate airspac is providedfor 'freefdmiflation or the air beneath -the protective garmenkwhich circulation evaporates carries awaithe moisture and! toperspiration. n tire ease of beach costs; at eased advantage ofs'iispehiiinz me'garment at' ome aista'n'c'e from the war's body is the reduction of friction betweenthe 'sarment and, the often' I severely sunburned skinof mejwearen. "After prolonged exposure to the sun; this advantage iSEhighly "regarded by the purchaser, forgermerits; in order'to aaduceisciettm prodib'rtne "theoretical advantages, alludedto above, I; We

5 had hyglfometric, tests performed with e garment of my invention and, other. aye-liable pro- }tect'ive garments; Thom-{memoirs 011th ti'gatioli, a curate consistent results could not be expected from the .fexperiments; However,

50 measureme ts or tnejhunndnypnaer me,.;m-

ment lof my 'mvenupn nd unaer other svaiifitie 'protective rments gavefconsi'stent ndieatmns that the humidityjundef'neaith my ventnateogsrmentnorrnally does, L not, materially eased! the Y I 5 1 humour or the surrounding the,

"W t a r-' n meathpther mammatectiv garments, *es ecibtny'unqer"tne i ts. tended usually to. be o metems turat, iwith moisture; These hrsrometric fo servstiosswere a made: 'with the weilimown.l w eri,sud "thermometer'f' It maybe added that the aryogfi temperature under ordinary fifotctivleiarihe as always higher than the amprst repemgn snti a e sla 'm j cape, 'aftr'being' rowed ihto' its most coinii'a'ittiri-v rangernent, is most,conveniently,carridflwithin a-r r epe e'qs x P eview o zma tn iw "The pursexr'ig. 12) y bemadepr'mate" us;-

momzmg with'the garment; and it is} "aigsb y made out of waterprof material, who e'rjt be used with a raincoat wigs-heath v f The ursesn, is provided w thanap It, theend of which is" attached, toftbepurs'e by mean an Jama purse may conveniently be carried by means of a strap 66, the end 61 of which is sewn beneath the flap 62.

Although I have described only two embodiments of my invention, it will be understood from the above remarks that I do not wish to be limited to any specific embodiment of my invention but desire broadly to claim the conception of providing garments spaced from the body of the wearer and depending from a shoulder yoke, to provide ventilation and insulation against heat.

Accordingly I claim:

1. A garment of the class described comprising a relatively stiff shoulder yoke including two shoulder pieces and a snap action hinge joining the same at the rear of the neck, and a cape depending from the said yoke.

2. A garment of the class described comprising a relatively stiff shoulder yoke including two shoulder pieces and a snap action hinge joining the same at the rear of the neck, a hood upwardly extending therefrom, and a cape downwardly depending therefrom.

3. In a garment of the class described, a yoke comprising two symmetrical wire frames conforming generally to the shape of the shoulders and the curve of the neck, and a hinge joining the said two frames at the back of the neck and including means for maintaining itself in its open position.

4. In a garment of the class described, a yoke comprising two symmetrical wireloops conform: in generally to the shape of the shoulders and the curve of the neck, but extending beyond the contours of the shoulders, hinge members fastened to the two ends of each of said'wire loops, pivot means joining the two hinge members, and means for maintaining the hinge members in their extended position.

5. A garment of the class described, having a pair of hinged metallic loops from which the body of the garment depends, a 0, spring forcing the loops either to their closed or open position, the hinge for the loops having parallel side walls confining the C spring between them to protect the fabric of the garment from being pinched between the 0 spring and the hinge.

6. A garment of the class described comprising a shoulder yoke including a pair of symmetrical wire frames, said frames conforming to the con tour of the shoulders and the neck, a covering for said frames adapted to rest on the shoulders of the wearer, and a cape depending from said yoke.

'7. A garment of the class described comprising a shoulder yoke including a pair of symmetrical wire frames, said frames conforming to the contour of the shoulders and the neck, a covering for said frames, and means adapted to maintain said frames in position on the shoulders of the wearer, said means also permitting said frames to be folded together.

' BORIS BERKMAN. 

